Holding Pattern
by dnalalal
Summary: They aren't ready to be together yet, but they will be. Post The Headless Witch In The Woods. Hodgela


Holding Pattern  
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Ship: Jack/Angela  
Spoilers: 2x10 - "The Headless Witch In The woods"  
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And so I take her home.

"So, you can have the room my grandfather died in, the one with the balcony my uncle committed suicide from, or the one supposedly haunted by great Aunt Cecily."

"Jack.." She warns.

I grin, but bow my head a little, chastised.

"Sorry.. There's actually a whole other wing of exorcised, ghost free rooms."

She's playing with her necklace and from the look on her face I can tell I've underestimated the toll the day's events have had on her.

"I want to be close to your room." She says, quietly.

Under other circumstance I may opt for a playful innuendo, but tonight I just nod.

"Did you want something to eat? I know it's late, but I'm sure I could find something to microwave."

She shakes her head, while looking somewhere off to my left.

"No, I picked up something earlier at the office."

"Tell me you aren't going to call that chocolate bar I saw you get from the vending machine dinner."

"First, it was a cereal bar, and secondly, I didn't see you get anything to eat, so you're not one to talk."

Her voice is showing a hint of irritation, so I back down.

"You're right."

"Jack, don't patronize me."

I sigh and tuck my hands into my pockets.

"Look Ange, I'm not trying to pick a fight."

She presses her lips together and looks off to my left again.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just tired and a little high strung after.. everything."

"It's understandable. We could do something, maybe.. to wind down. We could, ah, play cards? Or.. well I'm sure we could find something to do."

Her mouth curves up a little at the corners as she meets my eyes. She takes a step closer and tugs playfully on the collar of my jacket.

"Cards? This coming from the guy who planned a perfect date in four hours?"

I swallow and suddenly my mouth has become dry. Somehow I muster up some false bravado.

"Give me four hours, baby, and I'd have the perfect wind down activity too."

She laughs, and I smile, and I don't doubt for a minute that we're both thinking of a wind down activity we could be doing in a lot less than four hours.

When I meet her eyes this time she looks away shyly. We lapse into silence for a moment and I rack my brain for something to say. Something cooler than suggesting a game of cards..

Thankfully Angela seems fine to let the awkward silence pass unnoticed and speaks up.

"Well, four may be your lucky number, but mine is eight, and if I don't get some sleep soon, this is going to be one grumpy girl in the morning."

She's pointing to herself and smiling with her eyes.

"Who, you?"

"Please.. you've only ever seen me after my second cup of coffee."

For a moment I'm tempted to remind her of the night I spent at her apartment, but then I change my mind. She seems to be in a good mood now, and I don't really relish thinking about the state I was in that night.

"Ok, straight to bed with you then. Come on, I'll show you the room."

She follows quietly, and as I steal a glance at her out of the corner of my eye I catch her mid-yawn.

"Here it is. It's a master suite so it has it's own bathroom. There should be towels in the cabinet, and the sheets are fresh."

"You don't use the master?"

I shrug.

"No, it always seemed kind of big for just me."

She's peering around the room, and I can tell she's not buying it.

"Jack.. no one died in here did they?"

Her face is so serious I almost laugh.

"No. I promise you this room is the safest in the whole house."

She eyes me skeptically.

"Ok, second safest, after mine.. And you're welcome to stay there if.."

"Jack!"

She slaps my arm lightly, but she's smiling, and so am I. We stand there for a moment just grinning like a couple of school kids and I really want to kiss her.

"So which is your room? I mean.. just in case.."

"Of ghosts?"

"Jack.."

She's whining a little, but I don't mind, it's actually kind of cute. I point to a door down the hall.

"That's the one, I'm a light sleeper so don't hesitate to come a'knockin'."

The conversation is starting to wind down, and I notice that she looks weary and a little anxious.

"Hey.. you're gonna be fine here."

She smiles, but I know it's forced.

"Yeah."

"Come here.."

I take her hand gently and pull her into a hug. She comes without a fight and holds on a little tighter than I expected. When she does pull away her eyelids are already heavy with fatigue.

"Thanks for letting me stay Jack, I think I would have been a real mess by myself."

"Don't worry about it. What are friends for, right?"

Her expression tightens a little as I say that, and even I know it was a low blow. She nods mutely and I mentally kick myself.

"Well.. goodnight Angela."

"Yeah, night Jack."


End file.
